


After the Spirits

by roserapier



Category: Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away, Tonari no Totoro | My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Genre: Gen, My First Fanfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-08-28 14:36:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8450188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roserapier/pseuds/roserapier
Summary: Mei from Totoro is Chihiro’s teacher in the new town





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Mystery of Ogino Chihiro](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1771750) by [misminor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/misminor/pseuds/misminor). 



> I've often wondered what would become of Mei when she grew up. Would she forget Totoro and the Catbus or only think that they were childhood imaginings? Or would she refuse to let those memories fade? I pictured her as a teacher, because she was so happy to be in school and was always telling the people around her about what she had learned and done. I have also worried about Chihiro and what would become of her after her adventure. Who could she talk to about the Spirits' Bathhouse, Dragons, and her parents turning into pigs? So I thought I would introduce these two characters to each other and see if they could help each other.

Mei Kusakabe looked at her desk and sighed. There were so many papers that still needed organizing with the new school semester. Every year, it seemed, there was always something that kept her from having a smooth year. She loved teaching and helping to nurture the wonder that she remembered having as a child, but it seemed that kids were ‘growing up’ faster and faster and had no use for childish things like the tadpoles and acorns she had laughed in delight over when she had first arrived here as a child. Now the forest that she and her sister had played in was just a little patch of trees. The rice paddies were gone and so were many of the shrines where she had sheltered in the rain. Her older sister Satsuki had moved away years ago to become a restorer of landmarks and shrines. It was a good job and Mei was glad that her sister had kept the reverence for nature and history that their father had carefully instilled in them as children. However, she still missed the constant companionship they had during their carefree days. She had thought that becoming a teacher would help her to keep that sense of discovery she had enjoyed as a child, but it seemed to have been a vain hope. It really didn’t help that kids nowadays had no appreciation for the world around them or the adults trying to help them to look outside themselves and their own concerns.

  
Mei sighed again and started stacking papers. She paused on the list of students that had one name circled. Chihiro Ogino was supposed to have transferred in at the start of the year, but she had never shown up. When Mei had gone to the address provided she had found a house empty of people, but with several boxes just gathering dust. The authorities had been called, but it was as if the Ogino’s had simply fallen off the earth. It had become a small sensation and the topic of many a gossip session, but no one had any answers to what could have happened to the family. Then, last week, they had shown up as though they had never gone missing in the first place. Mr. Ogino was convinced that everyone was in “the practical joke” and refused to believe that there was any mystery or missing time. His wife wasn’t much better in providing answers to what could have happened. It was a mystery that Mei could see enticing all conspiracy theorists for years to come. The Ogino’s daughter, Chihiro, never said a word. She would just smile or shake her head. Mei doubted that the girl's silence was indicative of lack of knowledge though.

  
She may have lost the innocence that as a child had let her see the great forest spirit Totoro and his friends, but her interactions with them had left an indelible mark on her. She could no longer see spirits, but she could recognize others who had been touched. Chihiro definitely had that feel to her when Mei had finally gotten to meet the Ogino family to discuss how to handle the missed lessons and assignments. When Mei had looked at Chihiro, she had expected to see a girl uncomfortable with her new surroundings, but instead found a very self-possessed young lady who was confident she could handle anything her life would throw at her. Her eyes held a kind of wisdom in them, one that came from having seen and experienced what others had not. It was the same look that Mei saw in the mirror every day and in her sister’s eyes too.

  
Mei and the Ogino’s worked out an arrangement for Chihiro to stay after school for tutoring with Mei, as most of what was missed was during the summer break. Today was the first day back, and Mei’s first day tutoring with Chihiro. She heard a light tap on the door and looked up to see Chihiro waiting to be admitted.

  
“Come in Ogino-chan. I have everything ready for you.”  
“Yes, Kusakabe-sensei.”

  
After the tutoring session, which was mostly review to see exactly where Chihiro was at, Mei brought out some onigiri to share. Chihiro was finishing off her rice ball when she noticed a little bowl on Mei’s desk.

  
“Sensei? Why do you have acorns on your desk?”  
Mei smiled.  
“These are special acorns. They have a bit of the everyday magic that helps me to remember old and dear friends that I can no longer see, for one reason or another. Your hairtie shines with that same kind of specialness to those with the eyes to see.”  
Chihiro’s face went blank, but Mei could almost see the furious thoughts passing behind her eyes.

  
Mei continued, “As a child, I loved to play in the woods behind my home. This was back before they had started all this land development and cut down the trees to make room for roads and such. One day I happened to stumble and fell onto someone taking a nap. He was good natured about it and kept me company until my father and sister came to find me for lunch. Later, my sister and I gave him an umbrella and he repaid us with some seeds that he helped us to learn to grow. We ended up growing our own little grove of trees in the back yard with the acorns he provided. He taught us about the forest and how to make music with his ocarina. I never did get the hang of that instrument though."

  
Mei grinned, “I’m pretty much tone-deaf you see. I could make some noise, but I couldn’t get a tune for the life of me. My friend was a pretty big part of my life. One time, I had gotten lost and the whole village was out searching for me. No one knew where I was, and everyone was sure that I had fallen into one of the irrigation ponds for the rice paddies. My big sister Satsuki went out to the woods and found my friend and asked him for help finding me. They brought me safe and sound back home. However, as the years went on, the forest started shrinking and we saw each other less and less. I haven’t seen him for years, but every now and then, I find a package of seeds on my window. I plant most of them, but I like to keep a few to remind me of him and how much he has done for me.”  
Mei reached out and stirred the bowl with her finger, watching how the light played along the seeds polished surfaces. She then looked up.

“What about you? Any stories you can share about that hair-tie of yours?”  
Chihiro fingered it and shrugged.  
“Some friends made it for me, so that I’ll always remember them.”

  
Mei nodded. She could understand why Chihiro was so reticent on her story. Such things were not to be shared willy-nilly, but only to those who have earned your trust and would truly comprehend and believe what was said.  
“Well, if you ever want to talk, I am always available. Let’s get you home Chihiro.”  
It was starting to get dark while they put their slippers away and put on their outdoor shoes. As they left the school, a rush of wind blew past. Mei almost thought she could hear a roar of joy and the whirring of a giant top. She smiled and whispered “Hope you're having fun Totoro.”  
Chihiro didn’t hear her, as she was looking up at the sky at a faint silver streak that could barely be seen twisting in the twilight. She smiled and touched her gleaming hair tie.

  
Mei brought Chihiro home to her parents and then proceeded to her own house. She was still living in the house she had grown up in. Although she had added a few modern touches and amenities, it still had the traditional charm that had drawn her father to it. She turned on the light and listened for the rustle that signaled soot sprites, but heard nothing. She hadn’t heard it in a long time, but she still liked to listen for their scurrying. She heated some leftover stew and started grading papers as she ate. As a homeroom teacher, she didn’t have many assignments to worry about; but she also was responsible for teaching the natural sciences. She loved the miracles that nature provided every day. From how a seed would sprout and grow to how a tadpole transformed into a frog. The song of the cicadas and the fragile beauty of a spider’s web were all the art and music she needed.

  
She went out to the green house she had built behind the house. There she was sprouting acorns and other trees to later transplant to the woods that were in the process of being restored. They seemed to be doing well. There was no sign of fungus or withered leaves. They weren’t quite ready to be moved however, as they were still on the small side. Just a couple more weeks, maybe, and then Mei would spend a day in the woods. There was a lot of work involved in maintaining the trees, but she was really looking forward to spending a day communing with the natural world. She would be working with other volunteers to help cut back the bamboo and other weeds as well as transplanting her young trees.

  
There were also the shrines that needed cleaning and repairs. Mei wasn’t as involved with those as her sister Satsuki was. Satsuki had fallen in love with the little shrines and temples that dotted the landscape and so made her career studying, and restoring them. She would then teach the community about the spirits and gods that made the little structures their homes. It was important, and Mei enjoyed helping her sister out, but her love was for the plants and water and soil. It was so powerful to her to see the land restoring itself to what it was during her idyllic childhood.


	2. Chapter 2

Mei smiled as she looked upon her class.  She was so glad that she had managed to get the school on board with her proposal to get the students involved alongside the community to help preserve the land around them.  Having the students help definitely made the work easier and faster, with the added benefit of teaching them about ecology, evolution, adaptation, human impact, and other valuable life lessons.  It also got them off of their phones and looking outside themselves for once.  Getting to see how much of a difference they could make and the wonders of the world was worth all the meetings and paperwork she had to go through to get this approved. 

She smiled to see Chihiro walking alongside the creek, having organized a group to pick up the trash that cluttered its banks.  They had already filled a handful of the big garbage bags brought for that purpose.  It was fun to hear the kids exclaiming over their strange (and sometimes disturbing) finds.  Mostly just bottles and bags, but there was a diaper and some underwear that had been discovered to their disgust and dismay.

All her students had been hard at work since early that morning with only short breaks for water and quick snacks.  Mei looked at her watch and figured that it would be good to give them a longer rest for food and other necessities.

“All right, everyone!  Get your tools stacked over here and come get your plates!”  After the short stampede, everyone was eventually chivied into a more or less orderly line and held out their plates for some of the curry on rice that was to be their lunch.  Some of the older ladies had volunteered to make it for the workers out of the harvest from the community garden.

Mei did a quick headcount and realized that Chihiro still hadn’t come in to eat.  She was still out by the creek picking up trash.  “Chihiro, why aren’t you eating?  There’s plenty for everyone, and you need to eat to keep your strength up.”  Chihiro grimaced, “I can’t eat pork and I can smell it in the curry from here.  If I get closer, I’ll start gagging.”

“There is still rice and plain vegetables.  I’ll make you some rice balls.  Would that be okay for you to eat?”  Chihiro nodded.  “Okay then.  Don’t overwork yourself.  We’ll be back again next week and every weekend after for the rest of the semester.”

 _I wonder what her problem is with pork.  Her parents never mentioned any food allergies or special diets.  It didn’t seem like she was vegetarian when I fed her during the tutoring sessions.  Well, better get her some food before she collapses.  I really don’t need parents thinking that I am working their kids into comas._   Mei went and collected some rice and started molding it and some of the veggies into onigiri.

It didn’t take long, and soon, Mei was bringing a plate of the rice balls with some plain veggies that didn’t make it into the curry.  Chihiro had finally put aside her gloves, bag, and trash stick.  Without a word, Mei sat herself down next to her student and started nibbling on her own plate of rice balls and vegetables.  Chihiro looked at her teacher’s plate and said, “You didn’t have to deprive yourself of the curry.  I’m sure it’s delicious.”

“But then I wouldn’t be able to sit and eat with you, Chihiro.  Besides, the curry is a bit too heavy for me at this time of day.  I’ll be fine with what I have here.  By the way, are there any other foods you can’t eat?  I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or nauseous by accident.  How are you with chicken, beef, or fish?”

“It’s pretty much just pork that sets me off.  I still like to eat meat, although I don’t like to stuff myself.  Sushi is good too.”

“That’s nice to know.”  Mei nodded thoughtfully and then took a few more bites off the plate.  “So why did you choose to work on the creek today?  You seem pretty invested on getting all the trash before we leave.”

Chihiro shrugged.  “I’ve seen how rivers and such suffer when people’s trash completely fill them.  They can be so beautiful, but we would never see it because of all the junk that gets tossed in it.  I used to love to play in the shallows of a river that was near my home when I was very little.  I was so sad when people came and filled it in so that they could build apartments where I used to play.  That river is gone, but I still enjoy the water and all it does for us.”

“Well, you have made a good start on cleaning this little creek here.  We have a couple more hours left to work today.  Don’t overstrain yourself, and be very careful of what you pick up.  We don’t need any injuries worse than blisters and sunburn.”

Mei picked herself up and held out her hand for Chihiro’s empty plate.  “I’ll take these and get them washed.”  Chihiro nodded and got up herself.  “I’ll get my group back together and see if we can at least finish this stretch by the trees.”  All around them, others were picking themselves up and wandering over to the washing station to drop off their plates and utensils.  Mei joined them and then set herself to start washing as everyone else picked their tools back up and went back to their assigned tasks.

A couple hours later, parents started showing up to pick up their kids to take them home.  The lot of trees was well-weeded and fertilized.  New saplings had been successfully transplanted and looked to be doing well.  The creek was a lot cleaner and there was no more obvious trash in its waters or along its banks.  The kids were all worn out and so were the supervising adults.  It had taken some effort to get the kids to get into what they were doing as they were more interested in slacking off.  After the first hour or so, though, they had buckled down and really started working.  As a result, the area was looking better than it had in years.  There was still a lot of work left to do, but you could already see how much more improved the area was. 

Mei was definitely pleased at how well the day had gone, although now she had to look forward to reading and grading the reports and journals she had assigned her students to help them keep track of their progress and observations during their work.  Being a teacher meant there was never time to just rest on her laurels and pat herself on the back for a job well done.  There was always something more to teach or plan or review.  Even her preferred teaching method of making things as hands-on as possible still had to have homework assigned and then graded.  _It was definitely worth it though_ , Mei thought to herself, _seeing the faces start to light up as they were interacting with the nature that surrounded them._  

She started picking up the leftover tools and putting them away in the little shed provided for them.  Hooks, hoes, shovels and wheelbarrows all went to their proper place after being wiped clean so to prevent rusting.  Mei then locked the shed up and started home.  She patted the trees she passed and started making a list in her head for what would need doing next week. 

Waving good-bye at one of the other volunteers, she got on her bike and pedaled home.  She did have a small car, but she only used it for drives to the city for errands and extremely rainy days.  Around her neighborhood, the bike was perfect for getting around.  It was quiet and didn’t cost her any money, as well as letting her enjoy the world around her.  She did sometimes take the bus, but it always paled in comparison to the catbus she had been lucky enough to ride in when she was very little.  She never got to ride in it again, but she had seen it bounding across the countryside many times throughout her childhood. 

She got home and quickly got ready for bed.  She was as exhausted as her students, and was quite ready to sleep.  As she drifted off, she could hear the wind blowing through the trees and the house creaking as if in answer.  She also heard quiet footsteps and a soft rattle of seeds being placed on her window sill.  _More acorns to plant_ she thought to herself, before she fell completely into her dreams of being a little girl again, playing in the garden and chasing soot sprites and little totoros, laughing madly.

A couple little shadows came by her head and patted her lightly.  They then scurried out the window, dropping a few more acorns on their way out.  They still remembered how she had played with them and although she could no longer see them, they knew that she still believed and had not forgotten her bonds with the guardians of the trees.  Children always grew out of seeing them, but it was also a rare blessing when they still kept their faith.  Fewer and fewer managed to keep and trust in their memories of their old playmates, all too often reclassifying them as their imaginary friends if they remembered at all.  That Mei and her sister didn’t, was a testament of their strong wills and utter trust in each other and their love of the forest and its guardians.  And as they did not forget the totoros, the totoros did not forget the sisters either.

Mei smiled and giggled as she dreamed of her bygone and happy youth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you have found any typos or have any questions. I don't have a beta, so any and all feedback would be appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Misminor was kind enough to let me borrow some of their ideas about what kind of girl Chihiro is and how others might see her. I highly recommend their story "The Mystery of Ogino Chihiro." I'm not using too much of their head canon just yet, but it will come into play as the story progresses.

Chapter 3

It had been several weeks since Mei had started tutoring Chihiro.  Technically, Mei was no longer actually tutoring Chihiro, but they both still met after school to discuss what Chihiro had learned and her assignments.  They both found comfort in each other, even if they did not actually speak of their feelings with the other.  It was now simply habit to meet together and have conversations where they spoke around their mysterious experiences, never directly mentioning spirits or other such things.  Mei never spoke in detail because she knew that Chihiro was not ready for a frank discussion between the two of them.  She did not know exactly why Chihiro was not yet ready to talk, but she also knew that the day would come when she would open up to her teacher. 

When they weren’t going over school work, they would take walks around the neighborhood and Mei would tell Chihiro about what the town had been like during her youth and how it had changed.  Chihiro was fascinated by all the stories Mei could tell her.  Chihiro was perplexed by the story of needing a telephone and having to run across town to borrow the use of one from one of the three people who had actually owned one.  She smiled at how Mei described how her dad had ridden the bike with her riding on the frame and her sister pushing the bike up the hill.  Pointing out the shrines where she and her sister took shelter from sudden rainstorms got a nod of appreciation.  But it wasn’t until they had come to the massive cypress tree that Chihiro was really impressed. 

“How old is this tree?”

“I do not know.  It is probably older than the recorded history of this area.  My father was a professor of history and he told me and my sister that this tree was from the days when humans and trees used to be friends.  The special friend I told you about, that I fell onto?  Well this is where I met him.  He was taking a nap in one of the hollows and I fell onto his stomach.  I was pretty lucky that he was very easy-going.  He looked rather fierce, but he just told me his name and then went back to sleep. And then I fell asleep on his stomache.”  Mei grinned at the memory of her three year old self and the giant Totoro.

“Why do you never say his name, Sensei?”

“Because you were not ready to hear it.  And because names have power, and using them frivolously to those who do not (or cannot) understand or believe can do much more harm that too many people might not recognize.”  Totoro was the one to explain to Mei and her sister.  He didn’t use words, but he was still able to make himself understood.  He spoke more to the heart, and an open heart will always understand more than the mind might be able to put into mere words. 

As Mei understood it, Totoro was getting tired and had to rest.  Calling him was possible, especially after they had become good friends and had exchanged gifts several times, but it would dangerously exhaust him.  Requesting his presence or visiting him should only happen in times of great emergency.  If he wasn’t able to immediately get to a safe place and replenish himself, well, Mei wasn’t sure exactly what would happen, but it would not be good.  That was why she and her sister made a point of planting as many of the seeds Totoro and his follower provided as possible.  They were not sure, but they felt that as more trees grew that Totoro could connect to, the more he would be replenished, protected, and strengthened.  

Chihiro nodded at Mei’s words.  “Names do have power.  Especially when someone else holds your name instead of you.”  She took a deep breath.  “That’s what happened to me.  My parents took a wrong turn and ended up at an abandoned theme park.  They started exploring and found a restaurant that had all its food set out ready to eat.  There was no one in sight, so they started eating, thinking they would pay for their food afterwards.  It got dark, and suddenly the empty streets were filled with shadows.  My parents had turned into pigs and I started running.  There was a boy who earlier tried to get me to go back, but by that time, it was too late.  The field we had walked through just an hour earlier was now a river too wide to swim.  I couldn’t cross and then I started to disappear. 

“The boy showed back up and helped me.  He stopped my fading and told me what I needed to do to survive and rescue my parents.  The abandoned amusement park had turned into a bathhouse for the spirits.  The ruler of the bathhouse was a witch and she was the one who had turned my parents into pigs.  If I wanted to avoid that fate, I had to get a job and work at the bathhouse.  I was able to do so, but I had to literally sign my name away to her.  I only got it back because I happened to have a goodbye card from a friend in my pocket.

“It was hard working there, and I still have no idea how long I was in that world.  I only really remember three nights, but the moon was different each time.   So much happened that and time was so different.  I helped to clean a humongous stink spirit back into an old and powerful river god.  I accidentally let in a spirit that was poisoned by the bathhouse’s environment that it started eating people.  I also managed to accidentally kidnap the witch’s beloved son as well as release a curse on that boy who had helped me.  He had also lost his name, but he knew mine for some reason.  It turned out that we had met when I was very little and he saved me from drowning.  I was able to give him back his name and helped to break the curse that had kept him bound to the witch and her service. 

“So much happened, and now I’m afraid I might forget.  My friends made this hairtie for me, and I wear it constantly to help remind me, but I can still feel the memories fading.  The taste of the river god’s medicine, the feel of flying, and the voices of all the friends I made.  I will probably never see them again!”  This last was said in a wail and Mei immediately gathered the young girl into her arms. 

“Those kinds of bonds are never truly gone, you know.”  Mei whispered this into her student’s hair.  “It doesn’t get better, but you do find your anchors.  Having some physical evidence can help, but do not pin everything on it.  The best way to keep your precious memories and feeling alive is to keep them in your heart and find something that can evoke them for you.  That’s one reason why I plant trees.  I do love them, but they also bring back how I felt as a child, watching seeds sprout for the first time.  It’s one of the little miracles, but as long as it can help me to smile, I know that I will never forget my friend from the forest who had been the first to give me that experience.”

Chihiro, who had cried herself out, nodded.  “Like the thrill of running down stairs, half-afraid I won’t be able to stop.  Or picking up trash and helping the water to flow freely again.”

“And avoiding pork because of how close to becoming pigs your parents had come.”  Mei nodded, satisfied at finally having an answer to that little mystery.  Chihiro gave a tremulous smile and nodded.

Mei continued, “It doesn’t have to be one big thing, but all of them can help you.  So can writing it down or drawing or making music. Or even knitting," and tapped the sparkly hair-tie.  "Arts can speak to the heart and spirit and help to waken what has been forgotten.  It doesn’t have to be good or realistic,” she spoke quickly seeing the doubt on Chihiro’s face.  “Creating something is its own little miracle and having something lasting made from your own hands reinforces things.  I made chalk drawings and snow creatures myself when I was younger.  Then when I got older, I started making and growing a garden instead.  Anyways, figure out what would work for you. 

“What helped me the most was having someone to talk to who could understand and believe me.  I was really lucky to have several.  There was my sister who had the same adventures with me, my parents, who although they never saw anything, still believed and supported us, and a neighborhood granny who remembered being able to see such things when she was little.  My sister and I were never isolated or persecuted for our experiences and so were able to hold on to them into our adulthood.  I hope that I can be here for you in a similar way, Chihiro-chan.”

Chihiro gave Mei another hug and said, “You already are Sensei.  Just being able to get all of this off my chest is a big relief to me. Thank you so much.”

Mei smiled and then noticed how it was getting dark.  “I think it’s time to get you home dear.  It’s getting late and we wouldn’t want your parents to worry.”

Chihiro got up and followed her teacher home.  Where they had been sitting were a couple uneaten riceballs and some fresh vegetables, perhaps forgotten but more likely left as a gift.  A few small shadows stirred and then collected the offerings.

Some looked like little balls of soot and a couple resembled little plushies, but of no particular species.  They had pointed ears and big eyes.  One was white and the other was dark with chevron markings on its chest.  They seemed to have no mouths until one stuffed a whole tomato into it.  The food quickly disappeared into the little beings and was no more. 

There was no discernable sound, but there still seemed to be a discussion of sorts.  Then they scattered as a heavy gust of wind blew past the tree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me feedback. I greatly appreciate it and I try to respond to each comment.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spirits POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ran out of story (for the moment) that could follow Mei and Chihiro. So we are going to see what's going on with the Spirits and their world for a few chapters. Then we'll get back to the human world (hopefully).

_We found her! It’s her! The Curse-breaker! We found her!_

The shadows coalesced and shifted chaotically and excitedly.

A couple larger shapes gave a sharp whistle and called them to order.

_Who have you found?_

_The Curse-breaker! The One Who Has Brought Change! The One Who Has Changed What Was Willed to Be! She lifted the burden and carried it for one of us. She came with the favor and knowledge from the Lost Dragon. She won employment from the Witch and found a way to keep her name to be recalled when safe. She won the respect of the Boilerman and the Weasel Girl. She saw the one without a face and had compassion. She faced the stink spirit and found his true self and helped him to shed his entrapment to become a river god once again. Her efforts pleased the unappeasable witch and magnified the reputation of the spirits’ bath-house._

_She received a personal gift from the river god to reward her bravery and service. She defended the Dragon Without Anchor from the Witch’s Sister’s Vengeance. She broke the Witch’s Son’s Loneliness and Isolation and Inspired His First Steps. She Rode the Mortally Wounded Dragon down the chute and past what hungers at the bottom to the boiler room. She Shared her Gift of Medicine from the Venerable River god to heal and help the young dragon to expel That which was poisoning him. She Hunted the Curse and Squashed its slug form and Broke the Circle to repel the Bad Luck. She Resolved to Ride on the One-Way Train of those who are forgotten to Return the Stolen Seal to the Witch’s Sister and Petition on behalf of the Dragon Without Memory._

_She faced the Spirit Without Face who had been Polluted by the Bath House’s Greed and Gluttony and turned away from the Temptations of Food, Gold, and Gifts and instead gifted Him with the remainder of the Medicine that could have helped her transformed Progenitors. She then led him out and away from the Bath House to the Train of the Disappearing, accompanied with the Witch’s Son and the Witch’s Familiar, transformed into humble forms. She rode the train and did not succumb to the peace of oblivion or the mystery of where it goes._

_She found the dwelling place of the Witch’s Sister and befriended her and thus found where the Spirit Without a Home or Family or Friends could belong. She was Gifted with a string spun and woven from friendship and protection to wear always. Her Love had healed the Broken Dragon and He came to aid her in her return to free her Parents from their Curse of Forgetfulness and Transformation. She found the Dragon’s Name and Released him from the Witch’s Bindings._

_She Returned to the Bath House and Passed the Final Test the Witch had set for her. She looked with her heart and was not deceived into misidentifying her Parents among the decoys and so was the first to be freed from a contract with the Witch. She Regained her Human Life and World without Turning or Looking Back._

_She was back in the world of Humans and we could not find her. The Blessed String she wears helps her not to forget her time in our world and protects her from the Mischief of the Witch and Her Servants, but it also hides her from the friends she had to leave behind. No one could follow her, and then no one could find her. We searched and mourned and more. But now we have found her! We have found our Curse-breaker!_

The two larger beings nodded in agreement. _What do you intend to do now? You cannot take her back from this world where she has her roots. You cannot bring her friends here through your shadow paths and anchor points. You cannot take messages or letters or gifts either, as she can no longer perceive you or understand the language of the spirits and gifts will not survive your travels._

The mass of shadows stirred in dismay. Finding their friend had been all they could think of, and finding her so unexpectedly had thrown all thoughts of future actions out of their decision-making process. The two spirits of the forest were correct that there was not much that they could do at this point. They would absolutely pass on their new knowledge of the girl who had brought such a fresh breeze to the Bath House she had visited and worked in for such a short time. Change could now happen and all the employees knew that escape was no longer impossible to even contemplate.

Even Kamajii had lightened his hold on the soot sprites so that they could reconnect with those outside the Spirit World. Their news had prompted all the soot sprites to look for the girl who had done so much. However, soot sprites could not go everywhere. Fewer and fewer people used fires and such inside their homes and they had a hard time investigating homes that were clean and occupied such as most humans lived in.

 _Is the Mighty Forest Guardian still dormant?_ The small bits of soot asked, with diffidence. _Could He or one of you call the Cat Who Carries Friends to us to hear our petition of aid regarding travel and transportation between the worlds?_

The two forest subordinates pondered this. The Greater Forest Guardian was still in a kind of hibernation, but it was no longer as deep as it had been. The restoration of the forest and the spreading of the seeds and acorns that they had gifted to the once-child and her sister who had loved the forest had helped, but it was a very gradual process.

_How would you provide recompense? The Cat Who Carries Others as it Runs does not do so for strangers or without reason and restitution. When our Elder requested its Aid in finding and carrying the lost once-child and her sister, it only did so because of many many seasons of good will and trust as well as the girls’ actions in gifting the Elder without any thought of boons or rewards. They also promptly made good use of the seeds given them. Why should the Cat of the Wind give you aid?_

The soots pondered this. These were fair questions and had to be answered. Food was a possibility, but not a guarantee. It would have no use for the Baths or the Company. Information would definitely appeal, but only if it was of interest to the Cat-like being.

_We must discuss with the others at the Bath House. There are items of worth, but we have no authority to offer them. Perhaps there could be trade arrangements made between here and there. We will be back to discuss possibilities. Thank you for the opportunities you have opened for us. We came here hoping for advice on locating a human amongst countless others, and we have found her without having to put ourselves at risk in the human world of machines without magic._

The others shook their heads in negation. _We did nothing but point out our own favored human. That she happened to have yours with her was none of our doing, but rather was an act of some power higher than us. Fate, Luck, or God, should be the ones to receive your gratitude. Go home with speed and care. Share your news and your joy, and then come back and we will have much to talk about._

The soots gathered themselves together and clung to the shadows as they climbed to the top of the tree and cast themselves into the wind. There seemed to be joyful song as they drifted off, but there was no one to hear it. The two others went to special crack and ducked inside to go through a tunnel to a large chamber. There, snoring raucously, was a much much larger version of their own shapes. It was clearly the Elder Forest Guardian spoken of earlier, and it was not in the deep and still sleep that was a symptom of dangerously low amounts of energy. The Elder never had had a name until a little girl had stumbled into this chamber and woke him up. She took his nonsense sounds of confusion sleepiness and made them into a name for the Being. She called him Totoro and he had chosen to accept it as his own.

It was rare for spirits to have names without an outside and more powerful force to give them. Humans were the exception to this and could give names to all they meet. Those names had to appropriately fit the spirit or else disaster would be imminent. The name the girl had given him had been full of innocent joy and trust and a touch of awe, but absolutely no fear or other dark emotion. Hence it had been a gift that He could receive and use to help keep him anchored in this reality to not fade away as so many others had eventually done. The name still had the power of its purity as it had not become corrupted by ill speaking or common usage. It was held only by a few, and all those that kept it spoke it but rarely, and only with the happiness and friendship that it had first been given in.

The Totoro was still asleep, but his sleep was light and he dreamed of the kindness and trust of two little girls. One who had named him and trusted him enough to simply take a nap on his belly. The other who had given him a gift of an odd but useful human thing to help keep him dry as he waited in the rain. They had both been appreciative of his showing them how the seeds could grow if they would be patient and help them grow and had taken that lesson to heart as they grew. All human children had to grow up, and most had ended up forgetting the things he and others tried to teach them. These two, however, had kept the lessons and had worked to keep passing them along. Their works resonated with the forest and its guardian and He smiled as he turned over in his sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I picture the soot-balls as never using names. Instead they will use titles and descriptions, but usually only the ones they come up with. I don't have a real reason, but I have a felling it has to do with their low level of power/identity. Personal names say "I am Me, I have an identity, I am separate." The Titles/Descriptions used are more "This is how we experience that person/being's presence." I also picture the soot sprites as being more of a collective rather than an individual. They never appear on their own, and when they are isolated or separated, they disappear. Let me know what you think.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the Bath House

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I fell a bit behind and am now trying to play catch-up.

It was a quiet day. The empty field looked like a sea with how the wind blew across it. A train passed by, its sound echoing and changing in pitch as it approached and then departed. Steam puffed gently from many pipes as the boilers in the red building started heating up. Then there was an explosion of sound that made a mockery of the earlier stillness.

“YOU FOUND HER?!”  
“WHERE?!”  
“I’M GONNA GO SEE HER RIGHT NOW!”  
“IS SHE ALRIGHT?!”  
“DOES MASTER HAKU KNOW?!”

The questions came rapid-fire and interrupted one another. The old man who was in charge of the bath house’s boiler grimaced and then bellowed “SHUT UP!”

“Thank you. Now, my soot workers haven’t told me much yet, just that they have finally found Sen in the human world. She seems to be doing okay, but they were not able to stay and do a thorough investigation. She has a teacher who was also touched by spirits and that one seems to have a good head on their shoulders. I have not told Master Haku yet, because he is not here to be told. He is off running some errands for the bath house. I will tell him when he gets back. Someone also needs to tell Yubaba, her son Boh, and her sister Zeniba the news. I’ll leave it up to one of you to do those things. Now get out of my boiler room! There’s still work to be done!”

The crowd of servants reluctantly trickled away back to their assignments muttering about how grumpy Kamajii always was, but there was now constant murmur of discussion and planning. 

The Boilerman just grumbled and muttered until they had all gone, then he looked at the soot balls coming out of their holes to peer at him. “Good work. I’ll tell Lin to give you extra food when she comes to feed you.” There was a bit of high-pitched and tiny cheering at this. 

“You still don’t get the day off though! So start carrying that coal unless you want to turn back into soot!” 

The soot stopped cheering, but they still had a buoyant feel to them as they set to their task of carrying the coal to the furnace.

Meanwhile the Boilerman started grinding his herbs, hoping to get ahead of the demand for the special bath waters that would be coming as soon as the sun had set. He also had a small smile to his face as he labored over the grinding stones. The smile fell away into a forbidding scowl when he reached into a drawer of mugwort to find it completely empty.

“Argh, that’s the third time this month that I’ve come up empty. I hope Haku is able to find some more reliable supplier.”  
**********  
Haku was exhausted. He had been traveling almost constantly after he had had his little talk with Yubaba. She no longer controlled him, and he would no longer do her dirty work. However, he was still in need of employment and a place to stay as he hadn’t had the chance to go looking for a new river to dwell in. His work now consisted of meeting with and negotiating with the suppliers of herbs, minerals, and other sundries for the Bath House.

Yubaba, the one who had been in charge of such things, had preferred to use her formidable reputation to extort and blackmail, rather than pay a fair price to the ones who could provide the necessary and potent herbs required to make the baths effective. Unfortunately, her status had taken quite a hit when a little human girl had managed to turn the bath house upside down. She (the little girl they had known as Sen) had done so by first by having enough backbone to demand and brow beat the old witch into giving her a job. 

The witch took a further hit in how badly she had handled what had turned out to be a very influential river god. That river god had much, much better hearing than everyone had realized and had known that it was being disrespected by the employees at the bridge who had tried to turn him away and by Yubaba when she had assigned a young and inexperienced human, who still stank of the human world, to accept his money and attend him. The fact that she did a good job and had facilitated his purification was just pure irony in his eyes and he made sure to share all of the circumstances with his compatriots. Now it was common knowledge that the witch had almost refused to provide service to a river god, and only avoided causing such an irredeemable offence because of a human.

The overworked employees were happy to give more ammunition against their employer by gossiping about how Yubaba’s efforts to evict a No-Face with a monstrous appetite only resulted in her being covered in puke and to rub salt in the wounds, the gold the creature was paying with was only illusionary. They had to get the human girl to get the No-Face out, and she did it by leading him as though he were a pet. The girl had even managed to save the workers who had been swallowed earlier.

The greatest damage to Yubaba’s standing, however, was how she had lost her son, her dragon, and the girl within one day. Her son was returned, by the human who had also managed to free the dragon. Yubaba wasn’t even able to hold the girl, as she was able to pass the so-called test and have her contract nullified. She had escaped the spirit world without any trouble.

Yubaba’s prestige was no more. People still feared her magic, but she no longer had the time or energy to make a show of power to win back the fear and respect she had once commanded. She was too busy with just the accounts and chasing after her newly independent son Boh, who was determined to explore everywhere he could. It was a full-time job just keeping him out of trouble as well as suitable entertained, lest he throw a massive temper tantrum in front of the guests.

Thus Haku, was left with the job of dealing with the suppliers. They were a bit leery of him nonetheless, as he had acted as Yubaba’s bully boy while still under her geis. He hadn’t had to do much while under her authority, except loom menacingly, so it wasn’t impossible to deal with them. However, they also refused to sell without setting the prices at a premium. The suppliers were no longer amenable to having the Bath House take advantage of them by enforcing a pittance of a price (if that) that would be paid for their goods. 

The Bath House was in trouble, and no solution seemed to be in sight. During a meeting of the department heads, it was determined that the only way the Bath House could survive was to find some new suppliers who hadn’t heard of the recent upsets and make a fair contract with them as quickly as possible. However, those who could grow the needed plants in the needed quality and quantity were rare. The wild places were dwindling and their caretakers were dormant, if not completely disappeared. 

Finding one to deal with would take a miracle. Haku then smiled wryly to himself. A miracle on par with having a girl show up who just happened to hold his name within her memory. It had happened, and therefore, it wasn’t impossible for something to happen again. He would just have to keep looking. He regretted that he couldn’t go looking for Chihiro any time soon. There was just too much that needed doing. He also was lacking in the energy to cross the worlds to find her. One day, he thought. One day.

He landed lightly at the Bath House and went to go report his progress (what little there was of it) to Yubaba and the others. He had the essentials, but they would not be able to afford it for much longer at the prices which had been set. 

The dragon was surprised to see the Bath House so active so early in the day. There was an air of barely stifled excitement. One of the frog footmen jumped to his side. 

“There’s big news waiting for you! We agreed to wait to tell you until the meeting, so you will have to wait a bit. Everyone is at the meeting room, ready for you.”

“Understood. I will be there shortly. He set his pack on the ground for the frog to take. “These are for Kamajii. Tell him it should be enough to get by, as long as he sticks to the absolute necessities.”

The frog picked up the burden and started staggering towards the boiler room. Several other, seeing his struggles, hurried to help him. Dropping and spilling the contents would result in a major disaster. They would not easily be able to replace the supplies Haku had brought. As the frogs carefully carried Kamajii’s order of necessary herbs, Haku entered the Bath House. He headed to the elevators that would take him where all the department heads were meeting. He paused at the entrance and looked around. Everyone seemed to have large grins on their faces that they tried to hide. Whatever the big news was, it seemed that he was one of the last to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I would go into what might be some of the repercussions of Chihiro's|Sen's actions at the Bath house. She really did have an impact on the spirits working and relaxing there. When we first see Kamajii, he tells her that he is slave to the boiler that fuels the bath house. He clearly never leaves that room to either eat or sleep and often has to provide a bath at very short notice. Yet, for Chihiro|Sen's test, he was able to escape that room for the first time in we don't know how long. There were also many customers who were present to see (and cheer) for her successes at overcoming Yubaba's malicious maneuvering and entrapment. Service industries like what the Bath house is are almost completely dependent on their reputation and having a little human girl do all this had to be a major hit to Yubaba and her business. The fact that EVERYONE (customers, employees, and even her son) were cheering at Chihiro|Sen's success tells me that Yubaba may have been powerful, but she really wasn't liked or possibly even respected by those around her. The gossip and rumors that would have been spread like wildfire about Sen|Chihiro's actions would not have helped. So my head cannon is that the Bath house is in trouble, and there seems to be no solution in sight.
> 
> Please leave feedback. Every bit helps, and knowing that people are enjoying my story is a great motivator.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Staff Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your patience. Enjoy a new chapter. Sorry for taking so long to update. First it was the Holidays. Then the lady I'm a caregiver for broke her shoulder and needed 24/7 attention. And then my laptop refused to turn on until I got a new power adapter (which took me several weeks to acquire). I've done several small edits throughout the story in the meantime. No major changes, but you might like to reread to try to spot them.

Chapter 6

Bath House Meeting

Haku walked into the meeting hall, which was unusually crowded for what was usually just a discussion of day-to-day business.  All of the supervisors and foremen for all the departments were present, and not just the bare minimum.  In addition, the upper observation balconies and walk ways were absolutely packed with the rank and file of the less prestigious workers, all craning their heads and cupping their ears to get all that would be said below.  Yubaba was also down at her customary seat for the first time that month, as she had been kept far too busy to manage her usual micro managerial brand of leadership.  She looked to have been stress chain-smoking as her ashtray was already filled with cigarette butts in spite of the relatively early hour of the day. 

“Alright, we have important things to cover today, so all of you **_pipe down_**.  Haku, what do have to report on the suppliers?”

“Those who are willing to deal with us do not have the needed quantity or quality of supplies that we will need.  Those that may be capable of providing the materials have already refused us.  I had to go between worlds a couple times just to find enough to last us the rest of the week.  Too many have heard either about your _stinginess_ , Yubaba, or Sen’s successes.  No one close by is ignorant of the hits to our reputation and we don’t have enough influence to ensure reliable suppliers from further away.”  Haku smirked a little at Yubaba’s fuming, but she knew that he was telling the truth.  Dragons were very well known for disliking lies and as a rule refused to ever lower themselves to active deceit through words. 

“Hmph.  At least it’s the slow season right now, so we aren’t going to be major trouble yet.” Yubaba looked up and scowled. Then raised her voice to be heard be all those who were actively listening.  

“Everyone, start feeling out all the people you may know.  I don’t care who you may come up with, but if you can find a reliable supplier, I will throw a party for everyone and that employee will get a bonus and a renegotiation of their contract.”

There was a quiet murmuring in the lofts, but it didn’t sound very encouraging.  Most of the employees had been working at the Bath House for many years and had long ago lost contact with those they had left behind.  The only real contacts they had were generally the regular customers they had provided service for.  These were the same spirits who were doing their level best to spread the tales and juicy gossip of Yubaba’s failures.

“Any other items of interest? No?  Then-” Yubaba was interrupted by Kamajii’s loud cough and clearing of his throat.

“There has been news of Sen.”

Haku’s head shot up and his eyes blazed with the intensity of his focus on the old boilerman.  Now he _knew_ what had made all the bath house workers so excited and eager to attend and observe the staff meeting. 

Kamajii continued, “My sootsprites found her in the human world.  She is healthy; not just in her body, but also her heart, mind, and spirit.”

Cheers of joy and relief broke out.  They had become fond of the little human girl who had slipped into their midst and had been worried about her.  Too many humans, after dwelling among them, had succumbed to various maladies and had not survived long after returning to their own world. 

Some had wasted away, unable to stomach the mundane food and atmosphere of their former homes.  Others had become depressed, apathetic, and uncaring; their hearts poisoned or wounded.  Some had found madness all that awaited them, as they told stories that no one would believe or did things for reasons they could not explain.  And the worst were those souls who had torn at their own spirit to make themselves forget and hate all that had happened to change them and then was taken away.  They would turn bitter and then turn that ill feeling on all around them.  It was a subtle malady, but was also the furthest reaching and would result in generations of psychic toxicity that would linger and infect all that came near.  Humans had invented exorcisms and rituals to deal with spirits and kami turned toxic, but the spirits had no recourse for dealing with a spirit-touched human who had rejected their spirit.  All they could do was flee and hope they didn’t carry the taint of hatred with them. 

That Sen was not suffering from any of these dangers was almost a miracle.  Rare indeed was the human who could dwell among the unseen spirits and then return home without suffering.

“She has found another human who had been touched by the spirit world.  This human, a grown woman, is teaching her how to hold the memories of her time with us in her heart and not to lose them to the usual human forgetfulness or rejection.  Apparently, she gained the favor of a forest guardian who had taught her how to safely handle her memories without getting poisoned by them.  So now she can teach our little Sen the same.”

Haku nearly sagged with the release of the tension he had been carrying since the day when he had told her not to look back until she had passed through the tunnel.  Chihiro had escaped safely and had even found a mentor to help her.  She wasn’t going to be yet another tragedy that he was going to mourn the loss of.  She would survive and even _live_. 

Kamajii still wasn’t done though.  “The sootsprites also told me that they may be able to make contact with The Cat of the Wind.  This Being might be able to assist us, if we can find something that would catch their interest enough to be willing to make a deal with.”

This last bit of news was quite extraordinary to both Yubaba and Haku, although not to most of the employees who were still happily cheering at Sen’s successful return to the Human World.  The Cat of the Wind was legendary and quite rare to encounter.  It was able to not just travel across to various worlds, but also carry others with it, if you could manage to persuade the Cat to do so.  Both Yubaba and Haku could also travel to other realms, but it was exhausting.  Only Haku had enough power to take maybe one or two with him, but it wasn’t a guarantee.  Yubaba could only fly herself and the only other option was the mysterious train.  The train had many cons, including: it only went one way, there was no reliable way to get tickets, and riding was dangerous in and of itself.  It tended to wear away at the ones riding it until they (the passengers) were little more that fast fading shadows.  If the Bath house could get a reliable method of conveyance, it would be much easier for Haku, Yubaba, and others to explore fresh opportunities that would provide profit and much needed patronage.

Haku suddenly had a thought.

“Kamajii, you mentioned a forest guardian that had helped the woman.  Is it still alive?”

Kamajii paused, then scooped up one of the sootsprites clinging to his sleeve.  A quick conversation ensued and then finished. Kamajii shrugged.

“Yes, but it’s currently dormant.  It’s doing fairly well however, and it’s subordinates have been expecting it to awaken sometime in the near future.  The forest it has been appointed to never completely died off and is currently in the process of being restored properly.  Why?”

Haku started to smile.

“A forest guardian would have access to all sorts of herbs and minerals of the proper quality, wouldn’t you say?  If we can get in contact with the woman you mentioned, maybe she could give us a proper introduction to the guardian so that we may open negotiations.”

Yubaba refilled her pipe and lit it with a grumpy harrumph.

“That sort is always tricky to deal with, you know.  They aren’t interested in gold or other valuables.    No point in making plans for only _maybes_.  This meeting is done.”  She looked up at all the chattering spirits she employed and raised her voice.

“Meeting adjourned!  All of you get back to work or I’ll turn you into coal!”

Everyone scattered and disappeared to their assigned workstations to labor at getting the Bath House ready for another night of customers.  Kamajii headed back down to the boiler room.  Haku followed him with a thoughtful expression on his face. 

“Kamajii, if I give your sootsprites one of my scales, would they be able to take it to where Sen is?”

The spider-like old man paused in his settling back into position, to give the young dragon a dubious look.

“Maybe.  Why would you risk one though?”

“If I had a beacon to home in on, I would be able to fly to where Sen is and thus negotiate with the forest spirits there face-to-face for supplies and such.” 

Haku’s face was bland, but Kamajii wasn’t fooled.  He knew how much Haku cared for the little girl and that he was fairly itching for a chance to check up on her personally.  He grumbled a bit and  said “We can try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished reading a book titled "Every Heart a Doorway" by Seanan McGuire. This book is about the children who have stumbled into different worlds and how they have long-term consequences to their time away from what we would consider normal. This made me consider how people might be affected and how lucky Chihiro was to come back sane and able to reintegrate herself back into everyday life. I have tried to illustrate what some of the threats she could have faced might be. 
> 
> As always, please review and let me know what you think. I don't have a beta, so if you catch any typos or inconsistencies, let me know and I'll fix them.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic ever. It is also my first (failed) attempt NaNoWriMo as well. In addition, I don't have a beta, so mistakes are quite likely. I know that I am throwing myself into the deep end, but it should be interesting. Please leave me feedback and I'll try to respond in a timely manner.


End file.
